Made me laugh.

Great news ladies; you can get a style coordinator to assist you at Chico's.  If you don't understand the irony here, call me. 

Creativity Tuesday: Making the best use of the dollar store.

When I moved to California three years ago, I was beyond broke. Bryan and I were living apart and paying for rent in two cities. I was lucky enough to find an amazing room mate, Catherine. I learned many things from Catherine {which I'll have to delve into further at another point} but one thing Catherine taught me, was to embrace the dollar store. I've always been cool with buying cards there, or rubbing alcohol. But everything else?  I assumed that the products were expired and or nasty. Particularly the food. Nope. Catherine showed me the ropes, and explained the deal. Companies sell overstock or agree to cut prices because they are assured a return at lower tags. That's why they are at the local 99 cent store. What do I love to get?

1. Mexican food:  Tampatio, tortillas, salsa, fresh limes, beans, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, canned minced garlic, and occasionally fresh California avocado.  


2. Fruits and Veggies:  the fruit in season; but usually apples, tiny bananas, strawberries, and blackberries.  Bags of fresh spinach, corn on the cob, mushrooms, carrot sticks, and yellow squash.  {I love sauteing their yellow squash with butter, olive oil and shallots!}


3. Personal hygiene:  Colgate tooth paste, rubbing alcohol, bandages, q-tips, tissues, cotton balls, razors, and shaving cream.


4. Guiltless pleasures:  sometimes they have Yoplait yogurt, Tollhouse cookie dough, and yesterday I bought a box of Land-O-Lakes butter, that I usually pay twice as much for at the regular store.


5. Fun Frills:  Fresh flowers, plants, herbs, doilies, party favors, and toys, tons of toys!  I love getting silly stocking stuffers or Easter basket items there.

The best part about shopping the dollar store A.) You NEVER know what you are going to find.  B.) You will be shocked by the savings.  Two huge, reusable bags usually run me $18-$25.00. Why pay more when you can get the basics for a fraction of the price? And no one but you will know the difference. So don't be a critic like I was. Give your local dollar store another chance!

Driving Miss Ashley.

I had a very pleasant weekend. Friday day I received a $380.00 tip from a solitary table!  {A new personal record.} Friday night Bunnie and I met friends for breakfast around the clock at HOME in Los Feliz. Saturday brought brunch with the Nobles at GRUB. Saturday evening I had a fun audition, then errands with my mister. Plus we have gone to bed early every evening. I blame it on partial preparation for springing forward into Daylight Savings. I hate springing forward!!! I miss that stolen hour for two weeks. What am I looking forward to?

1. HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART I. dvd release date on April 15, 2011.


2. Filming tomorrow with my Alumnae pals Erin and Jennifer for Erin's new webisode.  


3. Finishing MANSFIELD PARK.  I am soooooo over that book!


4. Deep cleaning my house.


5. My Girl Scout Cookies.  Yummers.  

a couple things.

Fun things to remember from our trip:  

1. Park hopper tickets were $119 for two days


2. Bunnies' 1st time riding Tower of Terror {exceedingly frightening.}


3. Jacuzzi was closed for winter at our hotel :(


4. Skewers at the Bengal barbeque were $3.99


5. I wished I had worn my hideous server clogs.


6. Chanelle was dating a boy named Chris.


7. Bryan ate half of my cookie after claiming he didn't want one.


8. Uncle Phil masterfully packed his car.


9. Mom celebrated her 52nd Birthday.


10. We were in love with clam chowder bread bowls.

Create a hit list for your city.

My manager recently told me that she was bored with Los Angeles.  "What?!!  Are you REALLY, and truly trying to get to know your city?" was my shrill reply.  "Have you been to the Observatory?  Have you ridden the Ferris wheel at the Santa Monica pier?  Have you been to a Dodger's game?"  Nope.  She hadn't done any of it.  My suggestion to everyone, Angeleno or no, is to jot down a hit list.  Destinations that everyone will ask you about if they know you're from a specific region.  I wrote the above list 3 years ago upon my arrival.  I try to knock one off the list at least once per month.  It has become an exciting treasure hunt.  Do you have a list?

Parcels.

I love receiving parcels.  Imagine my delight when I signed for a late Christmas present from my best friend Amber.  She gave me a mint tea setup, gorgeous tea blossoms {can't wait to watch them bloom in my tea cup!} and an ornate personal mirror.  Each of these were treasures from her miracle working trip to Vietnam.  Thanks friend!  I enjoy pretty little things as much as the next girl. 

What I Wore Wednesday: Free Shoes.

Last Saturday I went to a store opening for the new Forever 21 in Sherman Oaks.  Rachel and I arrived extra early to ensure that we received coveted prizes.  I won a gift card worth $50.00!  I used part of my gift card towards some amazing oxfords that are an homage to my childhood golf shoes.  I was an awesome golfer as a child.  Then I Benjamin Buttoned into a tragically, terrible player.  Today's ingredients:

1. Polka Blouse:  $22.00 H&M


2. Sage Pencil Skirt:  $19.99 Tulle


3. Waist Belt:  $1.99 Thrifted


4. Tights:  $22.00 Danskin


5. Arnold Palmer Oxfords:  $0.00 Forever 21


6. Manuscript Carry-All:  $31.00 Urban Outfitters

Ask Ashley.

Every so often I receive a question or two in my in-box regarding topics on the blog.  Yesterday I received an inquiry for dressing a specific body type.  Here's the e-mail:

Dear Dame of The Infinite Madness,

I've started working out and
I'm not quite sure how to dress for my new body. PLEASE HELP!

Sincerely,


Mammary Mishap

P.S. This e-mail was from my heckling friend Rachel.  I hope it made you chuckle.

New Year's.

Who inspired H&M's Winter 2010 Mannequins?

Frizzy, red Afros are infiltrating the retailer coined as H&M all over the country.  But who inspired this wily, unkempt look?  Our raving reporter Pansy Pumpernickel knocked on every door, and searched every corner for answers.  After numerous dead ends, she finally received legitimate confirmation from the company's own visual manager, Kiki McGee. 




P.P.  Kiki....May I call you Kiki?

K.M.  Certainly.

P.P.  After searching every niche and crevice in the universe, I must know.  Rather, the world must know.  Who inspired the kinky, ginger afros gracing the retail mecca known as H&M?

K.M. This is delicate information.  But, Ashley did.  Ashley Yazzie.  Her insane frizz was the inspiration for our winter 2010 mannequins.

P.P.  You don't say?  But her hair usually looks relatively tame!

K.M.  Tut, tut.  Then you've never seen Ashley right after she wakes up, or whilst enduring intense humidity, nor when she allows her locks to roam without product or constraints.  

P.P.  I must confess, I am completely shocked and dismayed.  

K.M.  And yet we at H&M embrace Mrs. Yazzie for her troll-like hair.  It reminds one of simpler, happier, and luckier times.  

P.P.  There you have it.  The mystery has been solved.  Ashley Yazzie's crazy coils inspire retailers and buyers alike to embrace their inner, and outer Afros. 

Birthday Wishes.

Last night we celebrated Rachel's Birthday.  I'm so glad I have a friend like the Rach in my life.  She's pretty darn fantastic.  I hope her Birthday wish comes true.  P.S.  Aren't my earrings drool worthy?!  My friend Kira and I did a temporary jewelry swap, and it has changed my life.  

Whoops/and Liv.

I went to an audition today and couldn't get inside the locked theater.  Puzzled, I pulled up the information on my phone and realized I was a tad early.  A week early to be exact.  Whoops. P.S. I love these photo booth pictures of Liv Tyler.  She lives somewhere in my Los Feliz hood.  I've never seen her, but Bryan stood in line behind her at our local Albertson's.  "She's taller than me," he coyly reported. 

Pumpkin Party.

This year's party was such a wondrous success.  The chili was spicy, the company stimulating, and the quality of carvings was top notch {more carving pictures to come}.  Here were some of my favorite details:

1. Rachel and Court's pumpkin cupcakes


2. Soba's squirrel costume


3. Bryan's free hand Ninja Turtle carving


4. Listening to the Monster Mash


5. Fun chili toppings


6. Rousing conversations on artsy stuff


7. Inappropriate round of Scattergories 


8. Being among friends


9. The unequivocal feeling of home and hearth


10. Fall frivolity

Pumpkin Patch.

Friday was Yazzie date night.  We went to the corner pumpkin stand and picked our prize gourds.  We love our tradition of carving pumpkins and making home made chili.  Fall is such a magical time of year. 

New I-Phone App.

Bryan bought me a new photo application for my phone. It's high definition.  I quite enjoy it!  It really gives a color pop and dimension to photos.  For the photo above I used the application, then filtered it through my Shake It Up app.  Love it!

Creativity Tuesday: Finding David the Gnome's Village.

I think I finally found David the Gnome's Village.  There was no sign of David's fox friend "Swift." But I have a feeling they were on an adventure.  No doubt some where in the forest together. 

Birthday.

I've been celebrating my Birthday every day since last Thursday.  But today will mark the actual increase. I love Birthdays, and I think that this year is going to be wonderful.  Over the last year I've stretched and grown so very much.  I've become a better wife, actor, friend, and a better teacher.  I've increased my knowledge base spiritually, personally, artistically, and professionally.  I've made new friends, and maintained valued friendships with my old friends.  

My favorite moments of last year were:

This family portrait:  {here.} 

My first demo reel:  {here.}

Falling for macarons:  {here.}

Channeling Miss Frizzle:  {here.}

Liveliest inspiration board to date: {here.}

The Aztec Ruins:  {here.}

Mastering French Toast:  {here.}

The Wild Things Contest:  {here.}

Our Bunnie Moon:  {here.}

I've made some fascinating goals to achieve prior to my next Birthday.  I'm excited to share them with you, as I cross them off one by one.  Hooray for becoming one year older and wiser too!

Sisterly Picnic at Griffith.

What is it with women loving picnics?  It's an ongoing joke between my friend Rachel and I.  All I ever want to do is go on a picnic.  And NO ONE ever wants to go on one.  Whenever Bryan asks what I want to do on date night, I usually suggest a picnic.  Let's just say that suggestion hasn't been noted since our courtship.  {Dudes HATE picnics and going on walks.}  It's a known fact.  I think it goes against their very nature. 

Last Sunday evening felt tres autumnal.  I immediately thought of how lovely it would be to eat al fresco.  Fortunately, my sister happily complied.  We walked to Griffith Park, and enjoyed a lovely picnic together.  The Snowmen mugs are a gift that I'd rather not discuss.  They are the antithesis of ergonomically correct.  The bottom two pictures are our interpretation of trolls. 

Creativity Tuesday: Plans For Fall.

I'm helplessly in love with fall.  I remember my first true seasonal fall in Missouri.  It was pure magic.  Ever since that colorful, crisp season I've been hooked.  I'm looking forward to apple cider, frosted sugar cookies, my 4th Annual Chili and Pumpkin Carving Party see last year's event {here.}, my Birthday, making fall decorations and going to the apple orchard with friends.  What are your fall plans?{image sources unknown.} 

My Bags are Mentally Packed.

Is it bad that I want to re-pack my bag and go on vacation yet again?  I literally just went on vacation 3 weeks ago.  There's something so enticing about wandering with one bag, limited options to wear, time for journaling, and permanently being armed with a camera.  Right now I'm dreaming of a get-away to Seattle, New Orleans, and as always.....France.  If I handed you a stack of money and your passport, where would you go?